Cabinet to rule out a referendum on the bill to scrap referendums

Sources close to the cabinet have confirmed to the Volkskrant that there will be no referendum on ministers’ plans to scrap consultative referendums in the Netherlands.

The new coalition has decided to withdraw the option following the 2016 referendum on Ukraine, which ended in a no vote. Some 2.5 million people voted in the referendum, taking the turnout just over the 30% required for the result to have legal standing.

The two Christian parties in the cabinet and the right-wing Liberal VVD all favour withdrawing the option from the statute books. D66 supports referendums in principle but not the current set-up, the paper said.

Although the Council of State has ruled that a referendum can be held on the plan to scrap referendums, there would be ways around this.

According to the Volkskrant and the Telegraaf, home affairs minister Kajsa Ollongren will insert a clause in the bill to scrap referendums ruling out the option of a public vote on the issue.

One more referendum will take place – on giving new phone and internet tapping powers to the security services – next March at the same time as the local elections.